Evolution
by Adamante
Summary: Jamie/Jill. Over time, people and their relationships begin to change. A series of short stories documenting the interactions between one cheerful young woman and her brooding counterpart. Chapter 4: "His eyes were so cold, but calm too… she wouldn't admit it out loud, but she liked those eyes. Despite the sadness they held, she could sense something honest about them."
1. Introduction

**Welcome to my new story! Well, it's not officially a story, per se… it more of a series of drabbles revolving around Jamie and the main farmer girl (Tina, Amanda, etc.) from Magical Melody. However, in this story I will call her Jill since I've been doing it for years and it's pretty difficult for me to change that now.**

**As of now, I'm planning on doing 30 drabbles. The number might change if I'm inspired to write more, but that most likely won't happen.**

**Well… here we go!**

* * *

**_Evolution_**

"_The first impression was __**always**__ the most important."_

_~o~_

Jamie had never gotten along with most of the villagers. In his eyes, they were too obnoxious, too cheerful, too nosy, too… _irritating_. They were always trying to include him in their various activities – smiling those eerily fake smiles, laughs that sounded a little too forced, the veiled look of distrust and disapproval in their eyes whenever he would brush one of them off… they may have claimed to have good intentions, but they never meant it – not when it came to him.

It wasn't as if he needed them, anyway. He was the type of person who relied on stability and balance. His small space of silence and solitude was perfectly fine with him, and he desired nothing else.

He honestly wouldn't know what to do with himself if his way of life was ever disrupted.

…He supposed he would have to learn now, though.

It was an… _astonishing_ occurrence, to say the least. Every single villager at least knew by now that he wanted nothing to do with them. It was for that very reason that they avoided every place he frequented (not that he frequented many places in the first place) and always kept their conversations with him brief whenever they had something they needed to tell him. But this… this was unprecedented. It was not part of the routine – the pattern – that he had established.

For the first time in what felt like ages, someone was standing on his farm. His _property._ The only place where he could feel secure and do what he felt like. The only place… where he wasn't assaulted with hateful glares masked by hollow smiles, or forced laughs accompanied with half-hearted gestures.

This was his perfect little haven of solitude.

But this person… this _girl_ had to go against what was already _established _and ruin it.

Just who did she think she was?

He leveled her with a stare – the same type of stare that succeeded in scaring the other villagers off. "And just _what… _do you think you're doing standing on my property?"

And instead of the desired result, the girl just smiled and leaned forward on his fence. "Well, I don't see your name on this property, do I? So, technically, anyone can stand on it."

…What the hell?

That line of reasoning – it wasn't even sensible enough to call it _that_ – made no sense at all. It had no basis of logic, or supporting facts – it wasn't even based off of fact! Just from the weird musings that came from the girl's head.

"…What?" There was nothing else he could say.

"What?" She said, echoing him with a giggle. "Too smart for you? Were you rendered speechless by my awesome intelligence?"

This was ridiculous. The girl should have been off his property a long time ago. He was not about to humor her strange train of thought, or have any type of conversation with her. She was foolish, just like the rest, and was not worth any of his time.

"Just… leave." He settled to crossing his arms authoritatively, since his glare seemed to have no affect on her. "I have no business with you."

The girl frowned, although he suspected it was not a genuine one. "Aww, a girl can't introduce herself? Geez." Her voice had taken on a high-pitched tone, annoying him even more. Why wouldn't she just _go_ already?

But still… she seemed to be new to the village, which would explain her ignorance to the situation.

"Well, if you weren't aware, I don't take any visitors. I keep to myself, and would prefer to be left alone." He found himself saying. "So, it would be great if you could just _leave now_ and stop bothering me."

He expected her to glare, or argue with him, or… anything. All she did, however, was smirk and wink at him. And strangely, this was more unnerving than anything else she could have done.

"Guess you win, then. For now, at least." She backed away from the fence and turned to leave. "Oh, and I'm Jill, if _you_ weren't aware."

With that, she waved and walked away, leaving a very bemused Jamie standing in the pasture.

She was strange, that girl. No one had laughed or genuinely smiled at him before like she had just done...

He suspected that his perfect little circle was beginning to break.

* * *

**Well, there's the first drabble. Hope it was satisfactory for you all. Since they're drabbles, they probably won't end up being too long… I guess the length will vary depending on what type of chapter it is.**

**Expect more soon!**


	2. Rivalry

**And… next one! Just to let you know, these won't be in any type of chronological order. They kinda just hop around all over the place. If you need a timeline for this chapter, I guess it takes place during the Fall of Jill's first year in the village. The first chapter also took place in the first few days of the first Spring, if you needed to know.**

**Hope you all enjoy.**

* * *

**_Evolution_**

"_An ambitious young woman plus a proud young man equals __**rivalry**__."_

~o~

It was never something that had been officially established between them. Not really.

She didn't know when or how it started, only that at some point in time, it just… did.

At first, it was just small, meaningless glances they would exchange with each other at festivals. Glances that said, 'You'll never beat me.' or 'Ha! I won this time.' They were harmless, really. Just friendly competition between two aspiring ranchers, she thought.

Little did she know, however, was that Jamie was anything _but_ friendly.

She never took his silent challenges too seriously. So what if he donated more eggs to the festival than she had? Who cared if she won the swimming race and he didn't?

She didn't. Or, at least, she thought she didn't.

Before she knew it, she had begun to go along with his little challenges.

Instead of watching him glare arrogantly at her every time he won first prize at a festival, she had begun to fight back. As her farm and abilities as a rancher grew, she found herself winning more festivals and contests. And although she was never one to gloat, it was satisfying to see the way Jamie would roll his eyes and snort whenever she sent a sickeningly sweet smile his way every time _she_ won.

It was also kind of cute, too… but she never tried to dwell on that.

The fact of the matter was that they had a rivalry going. She had just never truly realized how serious it could get until the day of the Fall Horse Race.

_Jill was psyched. Today was the Fall Horse Race, and since she wasn't able to participate in the one during Spring, she was all the more excited for this one. _

_She gave her horse, Jet, a warm smile as she pet his nose._

"_We're gonna win this one, aren't we Jet? It'd impossible for us not to, since we've been practicing like hell for the last few months." She chuckled as her horse gave an approving neigh. "Exactly! We're gonna do our best, okay?"_

_When Jet nuzzled against her face, she smiled contently, satisfied with this answer._

_Curious as to whom her possible competition could be, she scanned the horse track, looking at the other contestants. Bob was grinning while chatting with a smirking Gwen. Jill knew of their shared love of horses and horse riding, so she assumed that they were making some lighthearted bet with each other._

_Blue, on the other hand, was petting his horse gently on the nose - much like she was doing before - while Ellen was feeding it a carrot._

_Jill could feel her mood already start to dampen. Bob and Gwen had been horse riding for years, so they were obviously experienced in the sport. Blue was also a ranch hand, so he had to have had his share in horse riding over the years. Would she really be able to win against people like that? It wasn't so much that she wanted to win herself – she could care less about that – it was just that she at least wanted to reward Jet with the satisfaction of victory after working him so hard for the last few months…_

"_Here again, I see." A particularly cool voice interrupted her thoughts. "Not that it matters, however."_

_Taken aback by the sudden presence, she turned sharply towards the voice, only to be met with Jamie's calm countenance. She had come to realize over the past year that he was highly unsocial and intolerant to the people and events around him. It was because of that attitude that the villagers never bothered dealing with him. It was almost as if they considered him some type of outsider, and, while that was very understandable, it was still kind of… sad._

_And even though he apparently hated everybody, he still came to talk (well, more like "mock", but it was __**something**__, at least) to her during festivals. He didn't do it any other time, either, just during festivals. She often found herself wondering why._

_Jill shook her head furiously – she was starting to think too much and that never turned out good. _

"_Like you would know!" She replied, mouth curving into a smile – no matter what he did or said to her, she could never truly get mad at him. "You're not psychic. For all you know, I could totally end up winning!"_

_He snorted, a gesture he always made to show he didn't consider something a threat. "Impossible, since I'm here. You may have won the last festival, but I will show you your place this time. Do not forget."_

_And with that, he stalked off to the other side of the track, that peculiar multicolored poncho of his blowing gently in the autumn breeze. Jill was amazed that such a bitter and cold person could be so… __**picturesque**__. If he had the personality to fit his looks, then there would be no doubt that he would be super popular. If that happened, most of the girls would probably be all over him…_

_Wait, what was she thinking? That would never happen._

…_Would it?_

_Jill laughed awkwardly to herself. Jamie? With fangirls? It was strange, but the very thought of it suddenly made her sick to her stomach. Foolish girls. Worshipping his every step, following him wherever he went… making excuses just to be around him… how dare they shamelessly hang all over him? Did they have no decency? Did they not—_

…_No. She had to calm down._

_The rancher suddenly took a deep breath to quell her raging emotions. Why was she getting all caught up in a situation that was hypothetical, at the most? That wasn't like her at all. And, even if it did happen, why would she care?_

_She was being silly and she knew it. That still didn't stop her from scowling at the thought of him with a legion of fangirls, though._

"_Hey, Jill!" She heard Ann calling from the sidelines. "Why are you standing there spacing out? The race is about to start!"_

"_Ah, crap!" The rancher exclaimed, taking Jet by the reigns and leading him to the starting line as fast as she could without choking him. When she arrived, she saw Bob and Gwen snickering, Blue giving her an amused smirk, and Jamie glaring at her rather… fiercely._

_She looked to the ground sheepishly. "Heh, sorry…" For some reason, she felt as if she was talking to Jamie more so than the others._

_He seemed to have felt the same way since he gave her a noncommittal grunt in reply and turned to look ahead of him. The other three seemed to take his example and also began to concentrate on the track ahead of them, all determined to win the first prize. As Jill climbed up on Jet's saddle, she found herself smiling. Jamie and the villagers may have been as different as day and night, but she was comforted to see that, in a way, they all shared the same determination and love for competition._

_They all settled on their respective horses and watched as Hank, with his drunken (she didn't know if he was actually drunk, or if that was just how he acted) expression and toothy smile, walked out onto the track._

"_Alright, you all. Remember that we do this for fun and that no matter who places first, we are all winners here today." Jill snickered when she heard Joe yell out something about how Hank sounded like Mayor Theodore. The former then sent a withering glance Joe's way, causing the young man in question to rub his head sheepishly. "Anyway… let's all have a good time, and do our best."_

_Bob and Gwen, along with the spectators, cheered while Blue gave a determined nod. Jamie seemed to be ignoring everything around him, and instead never took his gaze off of the race track._

_Jill sighed. He could certainly be ferociously stubborn sometimes. Infuriatingly confident, too…_

_But, that wasn't a bad thing._

"_On your mark… get set… go!" And with a sudden flourish of Hank's arm, the horses took off. Bob started off strong with Gwen right behind him. Jamie was third with Blue and Jill neck to neck behind him. This wasn't starting off well, she thought. She was just about in last place! If they were going to win, they had to pick up the pace._

_After the first lap, the arrangement was practically the same as it was at the start of the race. The only difference was that Blue had passed Jill and, subsequently, Jamie. This development (or should she be calling it a setback?) had absolutely angered Jamie. From the corner of her eye, she could see his face harden with a scowl. Being in last place had saddened her too, but she had a sinking feeling that she wasn't taking it as seriously as he was._

_In his frustration, Jill noticed that he seemed to be running his horse harder than he should have. This was surprising to her, since it seemed like the only living beings he actually loved were his animals. This behavior was certainly out of character for him… maybe his sense of judgment was clouded by anger?_

"_Jamie!" She called out to him over the screams and cheers of the crowd. Hopefully, he would hear her. "You have to calm down! Your horse seriously can't take much more of this!"_

_He did not reply. There could've been a chance that he didn't hear what she said, but she suspected that he was just ignoring her instead._

_Groaning in frustration, Jill took her gaze off of him and looked back ahead of her. The other three were long gone… there was no way she would win this race now. Worried, she looked back over to Jamie and noticed his horse was starting to slow down._

_Obviously, the man in question didn't take it well._

"_Go!" She heard him yell. "Go faster! Why!? Why won't you…!?"_

_He was losing control over his emotions and it was almost frightening to watch. The usually cool and collected (if not a bit angry) Jamie was actually losing his composure and __**yelling**__. She didn't understand what he was so rattled for… it was just a race._

"_Jamie!" She yelled out again, becoming increasingly more worried by the minute. "Please calm down! Just give it up! You can't win now!"_

"_What?" He turned to her, giving her a full force view of the helplessness and anger in his eyes. "And let you get ahead of me? I __**refuse**__ to let that happen!" He directed his gaze back to the horse and continued to urge it to go faster._

"_So what!? You're mad that you're losing?" She yelled back at him. "Your horse's health is way more important than some stupid competition! You have to stop now!"_

"_Be quiet!" He retorted, pulling at his horse's reigns. "You don't understand! You don't –"_

_All of a sudden, the cheers from the crowd soon transformed into screams of warning and fear. Confused, Jill tore her gaze away from Jamie and saw what the crowd was screaming about. They were both running headlong first into a hurdle and neither of them had been paying attention… she should have known they would be setting these up for the race. _

"_Damn…" She veered Jet out of the way of the hurdle so she would not get hit. She looked over to Jamie, hoping he had done the same, but he wasn't even looking ahead anymore. He was just looking down at his horse all...calm and resigned like. This wasn't good. If he didn't look up, then—_

"_Jamie! Watch out!" She cursed when he ignored her again. "Get out of the way! There's a hurdle—"_

_His horse had been so fatigued from before that it had been running without fully paying attention to its surroundings. However, when it became aware of the hurdle that was rapidly coming closer, it panicked and whinnied, stumbling over itself to come to a stop. As a result of the sudden movement, Jamie lost his balance and fell off of the saddle. _

_Jill gaped as she watched him fall. With every second that past, she could feel her stomach drop. She was shocked, but she wasted no time in stopping Jet and jumping off of the saddle to run over and see if Jamie was alright. His horse looked a little shaken, but otherwise fine. Jamie, on the other hand, didn't look so well._

_He was lying on his side, clutching at his right arm. All his body weight was on said arm and Jill covered her mouth to hold her gasp in. Judging from the way his face was contorted in pain, he must have dislocated – or worse, broken – his arm._

_She released a breath she didn't realize she was holding in, and walked closer to him. She knelt down to his level and gently touched his unharmed arm. "Jamie?" She said lightly, trying to get his attention. "I think your arm might be broken… help will come soon, so—"_

"_Don't… touch me." He said through gritted teeth. Even though he was obviously in pain, no tears fell from eyes. She guessed he was too proud to cry, either. "I do not need help from… the likes… of you."_

"_Don't…!" She cut herself off to stop from yelling at him. With a deep breath, she continued, much calmer this time around. "Please… it doesn't matter who helps you, the most important issue is that you need help, period. Now come on, and let me—"_

"_No…!" He seethed, trying his hardest to increase the distance between them. His efforts only succeeded in putting him in more pain. "I… want you to… ah!" She jumped when he yelped, reaching out to help him. "Get away… get out of my sight…"_

"_But—" She stopped when she felt a kind hand on her shoulder. Jill turned to see Gwen standing above her, shaking her head in resignation._

"_Give it up, Jill." The blonde said solemnly. "There's no way to help lost causes like him."_

"_But why…" She paused when she saw Blue and Bob, along with a few other men from the village, pass by her, presumably to help Jamie. "Why… does he have to be a lost cause?"_

"_Well…" The other girl gave Jill sympathetic glance. "You can't always help everyone, can you? Especially the ones who don't want it."_

_Jill had no reply for that as she watched the men help get Jamie up on a stretcher and take him away._

_There was nothing she could say._

She had been thinking about it ever since that day, which just so happened to be a week ago.

Why was he so closed in? Why did he find it so difficult to accept others? These were the questions that had plagued her every day, causing her to lose precious amounts of sleep.

She didn't really understand it, being so open-minded and expressive, herself.

His behavior towards her was especially concerning. At least he blatantly disregarded everyone else – why did he always go out of his way to make sure she knew they were enemies? What was it he had against her?

Did he consider them to be involved in some type of competition? If so, then what was it?

…Well, whatever it was, it didn't matter. His confusing behavior still wouldn't deter her from her goal.

No matter how hard he tried to keep himself closed in and isolated, she would try her damndest to get him to open up and accept others.

This would be their 'competition' – one that she was determined to win.

And maybe… just maybe… she could sleep a little better tonight.

She _did_ have a certain patient she needed to visit tomorrow, after all.

* * *

**So, um, this is the second drabble. I honestly didn't expect it to be as long as it is. I guess I just… kinda started to get into it as I was writing it. Eh heh, I swear it's like 2,000 words longer than last chapter…**

**Well, either way, I hope you all liked it. Expect another soon.**


	3. Failure

**Here we are! The official third chapter of the story! Ha ha, I'm going at a good pace so far, aren't I?**

* * *

**_Evolution_**

"_**Failing**__ is just another part of life."_

~o~

"I'm sorry, Jamie…" The little creature fiddled with his small fingers nervously, refusing to meet the man's gaze. "You haven't collected any notes…."

"What…?" Jamie breathed. "But how can that be? I've been working as hard as I can. It's been almost a year, Arthur. A _year_. And you're telling me I haven't collected_ any_ notes?"

Jamie's tone was as calm and composed as it always was, but that didn't stop Arthur from flailing his arms frantically. "Please, don't worry Jamie! I-I'm… I'm sure there's something you might have been overlooking! If you realize what it is, then—"

"And what could that possibly _be_, Arthur?" He questioned sternly, cutting the small sprite off. "If I have _overlooked_ anything, I'm sure I would have found out what it was by now."

The small red clad sprite sighed and looked down to the ground. "I'm really sorry, Jamie… I wish I knew what was wrong. If I did, then I could help you out…"

He stared at Arthur for a moment before crossing his arms and turning away. "…Don't think about it too much. It's not your duty, it's mine. So leave it to me." He then solemnly glanced at the statue of the Goddess. Her face was twisted in sorrow, her stone-like state capturing the tears falling down her face and the deep frown she wore moments before she sacrificed herself.

It was so painful to look at.

Was humanity so hopeless that they could do this to a _Goddess_? Her state was proof that no one truly held kindness, or love in their hearts. The very notion of love was hollow and held no weight to it. If it did, the Goddess – no, _his_ Goddess wouldn't be in this state right now.

He would do whatever it took to bring her back.

"I'll be back, Arthur." Jamie said, turning on his heel. "I'm going to find some notes. I guarantee that I _will_ bring the Goddess back, so wait for me here."

The young sprite nodded resolutely. "Yeah, of course! I trust you, Jamie!"

And with a nod of his own – more so to himself than Arthur – Jamie left the Goddess Spring. Once the magic of the spring wore off, he found himself standing on Mt. Moon. He looked up to the sky and noticed that the sun was still high up in the air. As he expected, no time had passed since he had entered the spring and left it, so he still had time to try and find some notes.

The only problem was that he had no idea how to start.

"Found you!" He heard an irritatingly familiar voice yell. "Geez. I've been looking everywhere for you!"

Yes, that excruciatingly cheerful voice that he had become familiar with over the last few months. The same voice that seemed to never leave him alone lately.

He reluctantly turned and gave his target a piercing glare. "Why are you following me?"

Jill returned his glare with a smile. "I'm not following you, I'm just making sure you're okay."

"Well, I don't need you around to confirm my _safety_. I'm perfectly capable of taking care of myself." He huffed and crossed his arms. "And I don't care what you call it, you're still following me."

She furrowed her brow and stepped closer to him, almost hesitantly. "I… just don't want a repeat of what happened before, alright?" She timidly put her arms behind her back, which was very out of character for her. "I know… you don't want my help… but I'm still going to try, and…" Her lips curved into a smile. "You can't stop me!"

He ignored the sudden feeling of warmth that flared within him and rolled his eyes. The girl certainly had a talent with changing her mood. "You are very stubborn. Why won't you leave me alone? Everyone else does."

"And that's exactly why." She twirled on her heel until her back was facing him. "I can't leave you alone, can I? No one deserves that."

It was so strange… no one had paid this much attention to him before. No matter how hard he tried to get away from her, she just kept coming back. Was it possible that she honestly cared for him? If she did, then why? There was nothing redeemable about his character… why didn't she give up on him like the rest!? It was so frustrating…

Before he could question her on her motives, he heard her giggle.

"But… if you really want to know why I'm here, Doctor Alex told me to come fetch you." She glanced back at him. "I know it's been a few weeks since you've been released from the clinic, but he really wants to check up on your arm."

Jamie groaned inwardly. How could he be so foolish? She didn't care for his well-being… she was just running errands for the doctor. Not even _she_ truly had compassion in her heart, it seemed. He smiled grimly. This only reinforced his opinion that humanity was hollow and hopeless. They cared for nothing but themselves. He would show the Goddess he was different from them… that he did love and believe in her and that he wanted her back.

"…I see." He kept his tone formal and without feeling. "I can go by myself, if that's the case."

"No…" She turned around and grabbed him by the arm. "I'm coming with you. If I don't, you'll probably just go home and stay locked up in there all day."

"What…? Let go of me!" He demanded, trying to pull himself out of her grip. She only responded with a teasing hum and sickeningly sweet smile as she begun to pull him forward. "I'm serious! You don't have to drag me!"

"Nope!" She grinned and tightened her grip. "Apparently I do, if I want to get you to the clinic." He groaned, eliciting another laugh out of the girl. "There you go! It's about time you showed some emotion."

"You… don't make any sense." He said wearily, trying to regain his composure (and unfortunately not his dignity since she was still dragging him down the mountain path).

"Yeah, I hear that a lot. You get used to it after a while."

He sighed exasperatedly. This was not how he was hoping to spend his day. He needed to be collecting notes, not playing around with this inane girl!

"Well, can you at least let me go? I can walk on my own."

"Only if you promise to come to the clinic with me." She replied, still holding on firmly to his arm. "'Cause I'm gonna drag you the whole way there if you don't."

"I don't see why I have to do anything as childish as that—"

"You _promise_, right?" She cut him off in a sing-song voice. He couldn't see her face, but he suspected she had one of those sweet smiles on.

"I… promise…?" He said reluctantly. This was ridiculous. Why make a promise over something so trivial, anyway? If he was going to make 'promises' he was going to make them on more important things.

Like saving the Goddess, for one.

She let go of his arm. "Great! You promised, so don't forget."

With a roll of his eyes, he began walking beside her. The ensuing silence was a moment of reprieve for him. He had grown weary of the girl's voice lately and honestly wanted nothing more to do with her antics. In between the daily hospital visits and following him around, he had just about enough of her.

He glanced at her from the corner of his eye and was relieved to see that she was no longer paying any attention to him and was instead humming a tune to herself.

Even though she annoyed him immensely, he would admit to himself (and no one else, especially not _her_) that her smile was not bad to look at, if not a little uncomfortable. There was something about it that was nostalgic… and no, not her teasing grins or sickeningly sweet smiles… it was her natural smile he didn't mind. She rarely wore _that_ smile, and whenever she did, he was reminded of someone he could not put a name to, no matter how hard he tried.

He cursed his luck when she caught him staring at her and put on one of those irritating grins. "What are you staring at? Something catch your eye?"

"No, you idiot, it's just…" He trailed off. What was he going to say? That her smile reminded him of someone? That she annoyed the hell out of him? Well, the latter was _true_, but for some reason he didn't think she would take it very well if he said that. Not that he particularly cared, but still…

"…Never mind."

"Huh? Well, okay, I guess." She turned away from him and asked. "Why do you go to that spring, anyway? There's nothing there."

"…What do you mean?"

She shrugged. "It's just... when I'm foraging in the mountains I always see you go to that spring… but, it's weird, 'cause when I go there I don't see you anymore. It's almost like… you disappear into thin air or something." She noticed the peculiar look he was giving her and laughed sheepishly. "But I guess that's none of my business, is it? I'm… kinda nosy, aren't I?"

"You are, and I don't know why." He shook his head. "I told you I wanted you to leave me alone… but you keep coming back."

"I already told you, silly." She laughed and glanced at him. There was something gentle in her eyes – a feeling so genuine, he couldn't help but notice it. "You need a friend, so that's what I'm gonna be."

"You…" But before he could finish, her body started to glow. He watched in awe as a warm light seemed to emanate from her chest. She was standing so still, that he was worried (not literally worried for her, of course) that she might've died. All of a sudden, the orb of light burst from her chest and floated around them before disappearing. When the light from her body faded, she collapsed to the ground, wiping at her face furiously.

"The pain… and neglect… it's so sad…" She sniffled, hiding her face from his view. "That poor woman…"

"Woman?" He questioned before he realized what he was doing. Kneeling to her level, he grabbed her by the shoulders. "What woman? Is it the Goddess?"

She met his gaze, her face stained with tears. Something about this sight was just so very wrong. "When the light engulfed me… this 'Goddess' person… she showed me her memories and said… that I was "special" and then I heard something about getting a note and I don't know what else…"

"...A note? You got a note?" He shook her slightly. How could she have gotten a note? How did she do it? How did she – "Tell me, please! I need the notes to bring the Goddess back and… and… just tell me! How did you get that orb of light to come out of you? Was that the note?"

Obviously taken aback by his sudden invasion of her personal space, she blushed slightly and put up her hands defensively. "I-I don't know _how_, I just… I just heard something about 'having compassion for living beings' and, uh, I don't really remember anything else about it..."

So that was it. The key to the notes was compassion and kindness.

He let go of the girl's shoulders and looked down at the ground. The very things he discarded were what he needed to get his Goddess back? Was this some kind of cruel joke? He needed to be nice to the very humans that all but_ killed_ her in order to wake her up again?

Confused at his behavior, the girl touched his shoulder with one hand while wiping her eyes with the other. "Jamie? What's wrong? Do… do you know this Goddess?"

He glanced at her. If the Goddess had shown this girl her memories, does that mean she had the power to collect notes now too?

She must have… that orb of light wouldn't have come out of her if she didn't.

That meant the Goddess gave her powers… did that also mean that the Goddess considered him a unworthy and decided to rely on this girl instead? There was only thing he wanted, one thing he cared about and he couldn't even have _that_?

The girl… Jill… she was everything he wasn't.

He was nothing but a failure.

Not even _his_ Goddess trusted in him anymore.

"I'll… go to the clinic alone."

"Huh?" She mumbled, startled by his sudden declaration. "Why? Did I do something—"

"Just leave me alone from now on, alright?" He stood from his spot on the ground. "I won't get involved with your affairs and you won't get involved with mine."

She stood up as well, reaching for his arm. "Wait. Why are you acting like this—"

He turned to her with a glare, and while it usually never affected her, this time it did. She seemed to shrink back under his cold stare and lower her arm.

"Never mind. Just go… if that's what you want."

Satisfied with this result, he turned away from her and started to walk. He didn't know where he was going… he would eventually go to the clinic first, but after that, he didn't know. Home, maybe. Where else could he go and what else could he do when his only reason for living didn't even need him anymore?

If he wasn't competent enough to save the Goddess, what was he good for?

It was almost… frightening to even think about the answer to that.

* * *

**I didn't mean for it to get all depressing and stuff, but the theme**_** was**_** failure. And Jamie + Failure = Inability to save Goddess! Am I right, or am I right? xD**

**But yeah, I know this was a magically centered chapter. But the whole Goddess thing will not be too focused on in this story. Just… mentioned from time to time, I guess.**

**Well, till next chapter!**


	4. Stuck

**Here we go with the official fourth chapter. I haven't been writing as much lately because I'm so busy with my senior year of high school. Between the research paper, deadlines, and AP Literature assignments, I can't find much free time. But since I'm so dedicated to this story (for now, at least) I'll try my best to write chapters (and publish them!) at a nice pace.**

* * *

**_Evolution_**

_"Developments occur_ _when __**stuck**__ in close spaces."_

~o~

"Geez. This mining stuff is as hard as it looks…" Jill huffed as she slowly lifted her (particularly heavy) hammer over her shoulder. "It's been… an _hour_… and I haven't found anything."

With more than a little frustration, the rancher swung the hammer down as hard as she could on the unsuspecting rock. To her annoyance, she barely put a dent in it – let alone a chip.

She sighed and leaned her hammer on a nearby rock while sitting down and leaning against the cave wall herself. She drew her legs up to her chest and rested her head on her knees.

Ann told her that the jewels found in the mine were a good source of money in the Winter, since crops couldn't be grown during that time. What she_ didn't_ tell her was how difficult it was going to be! If Jill had known it took this much effort, she would have used her money to upgrade her tools rather than her house!

Not to mention it was _freezing_ down here. Since she wasn't moving around anymore, she could now feel the full impact of the cold air. The way it nipped at the back of her neck made her immediately regret that she had not brought a scarf with her. She hugged her legs closer to herself, hoping to retain some warmth.

"There's no use in sitting here freezing to death." She mumbled quietly to herself. "Either I keep working, or just call it a day."

Not that she _could_ keep working. She had been going at it for the last hour without any results and her stamina was starting to wear thin. If she didn't stop soon, she would most likely faint.

In spite of her situation, she found herself chuckling. Doctor Alex gave her such an earful the last time she overworked herself. Actually, just about everyone in the village did. They were so worried for someone who was practically a stranger to them… their compassion never ceased to amaze her.

She smiled and stood up from her spot on the ground. "Guess I'll call it a day, then. I don't want to make the others worry."

Grabbing her hammer, she looked up to the ceiling. She wasn't too far down – probably around three floors deep, at the most. If she kept going up the staircases, she would make it to the first floor in no time.

As she walked away, she turned back to the barely chipped rock she had been previously working on and shrugged. She would try again another day.

Only a minute or two passed during Jill's ascent from the third to the second floor. She was barely off of the steps when she heard a familiar voice call out,

"…What are you doing here?"

The voice had that cool edge to it that always managed to interest her no matter how many times she heard it. It was calm, composed and oddly… Jill found herself pleased to hear it.

"Jamie!" She turned to the person in question, absolutely sure it was him. "You're in here?"

Fortunately for Jill, her assumptions were correct and the man himself was standing before her, an unreadable expression on his face. His eyes were calm as he watched her blankly.

"That's what I was wondering myself. Now, as I said before, what are you doing in here?" He turned away from her stared at the wall. "I don't see why you would be in here _now_, of all times… unless you weren't aware..."

"Aware?" She asked, walking closer to him. "…Aware of what?"

He scoffed at her disdainfully. "Dense as always…" He paused to shake his head in what seemed to be impatience, and before she could retort, he began speaking again. "…Anyway, there is a snowstorm going on right now. We're trapped in here for the time being."

"What…? So we're stuck here? Seriously?"

"I just said that, didn't I?" He walked over to the cave wall and sat down, leaning his back against it. "Don't start with your complaining or mindless chatter. It's best to just stay quiet and wait it out."

And with that, he closed his eyes and inclined his head back towards the wall, refusing to say another word. Jill rolled her eyes, but could not stop the smirk that was forming on her face. Did he really expect her to just sit here and stay quiet? Of course not! Not now, of all times, when she had him right where she wanted him.

With a stifled giggle, Jill walked slowly to where he was sitting and seated herself next to him. "As if I could just stay quiet! That would be too boring." She brought her knees up to her chest and wrapped her arms around them. "Since we're both stuck here, why don't we just talk for a while?"

Soon, there was silence. His eyes remained closed while she sat next to him, watching expectantly. She continued to stare him while he tried to ignore the fact she was even there. Once a couple of seconds passed and Jill thought he wouldn't be replying to her, he opened one eye and began to speak.

"…And what reason would I have to talk to you?"

"Well…" She trailed off, suddenly caught off guard. What other reason could there be? To get to know each other, to become closer, to become friends… there were plenty of reasons that ran through her mind. She highly doubted that she could voice her thoughts, though. Jamie obviously didn't take well to acts of compassion or friendship.

And it was that quality of his that begged an even bigger question in her mind…

Why was he so distant and cold?

"…What reason would I have to want to talk to someone?" She grinned out of habit. "Can't I just do it because I feel like it?"

At this he closed his eyes again and let out a weary sigh. "What kind of answer is that? You're so… frustrating."

"Huh? How?"

"…Everything you do annoys me. You are the type of person that is a lapdog – or rather, a doormat – for other people. You do whatever you can to 'help' them and you willingly place their burden on your shoulders regardless of whether their situation involves you or not. You obviously get a sense of satisfaction from helping others, thinking of yourself as some irreplaceable presence. Never mind the fact that you intend to do the same with me. I've been watching you, and I know how you work. I refuse to take pity from anyone, especially self-sacrificial fools like you."

Jill stared at him, eyes wide. She certainly wasn't expecting him to say all of _that_. It was normal for Jamie to be blunt and standoffish – a bit harsh at times, too – but this was meant to be hurtful. Never in the year that she'd known him did he say anything like that to her. Sure, he called her a fool at times and an idiot more often than not… but that was just because he had no experience in dealing with others and he didn't know of anything else to say.

At least, that's what she thought.

His accusations should have hurt her, discouraged her, and caused her to back off and leave him alone – there was no doubt he was trying to accomplish all three by saying what he did. But there was no way she was going to let him have his way. Those seemingly hurtful words did nothing but anger (of course) and encourage her. She was going to prove to him that his assertion of her was wrong.

"And you think you're any better?" She said suddenly, not immediately realizing the words coming out of her mouth. Her voice was not as cheerful as it usually was and, instead, had a sarcastic edge to it. Over the years, it had become a bit of a habit for her to put on a smile regardless of how she was feeling. Right now, she could've cared less about hiding her irritation. "Your whole existence is like one huge mystery to me. You claim to hate these people, and yet you stay in this village, knowing there is nothing for you here. Sure, there is the Goddess to think about, but how can you stay so hateful when these villagers are obviously so kind and compassionate – even towards bitter people like you? It confuses me, and I keep trying to figure you out, but I can't understand anything you do. I usually wouldn't admit it, but everything about you really frustrates me."

He seemed to be slightly taken aback at her change in demeanor because she could see both his eyes open while his eyebrow rose in confusion. The small display of emotion was cut short, however, once he straightened his mouth into a line and re-adopted that blank stare of his.

"Who ever told you to figure me out? No one. So whatever annoyance you may feel is completely your fault."

"Yeah, it may be my fault." She replied sincerely, leaning closer to him as she did so. "It probably is my fault that I became so fascinated with you, of all people. I know that. But it's also_ your_ fault, too, for closing yourself off in a town full of such kindhearted people and making me wonder why you're so different from them in the first place."

She smiled as he turned to look at her. He watched her appraisingly, as if he was finally seeing her for _her_ and not the annoying girl who wouldn't leave him alone. His eyes were so cold, but calm too… she wouldn't admit it out loud, but she liked those eyes. Despite the sadness they held, she could sense something honest about them.

She wanted to help him; that much was true. But it wasn't for self-satisfaction or whatever else he may have thought – she wanted to show him that one could benefit from befriending and spending time with others. He may have thought he was hiding it, but she could tell that his isolation was destroying him inside. Her desires didn't stem from feelings of fondness or love… he was hurting (even if he didn't know it himself) and she wanted to help relieve some of that pain, if only a little.

As they stared at each other – her smiling and him glaring – Jill noticed that the silence was not as awkward as it was before. Instead of being uncomfortable, it was almost… relaxing. Maybe she was being too presumptuous, but she almost felt as if they had come to some silent understanding with one another. She understood Jamie's opinion of her and resolved to change it, while Jamie…

Well, hopefully he would come to understand her intentions one day.

"And anyways," She continued, breaking the silence, "who wouldn't be interested in such an oddball like you? I guess you stood out… since everybody else had been so welcoming to me and you acted like I didn't even exist."

With a chuckle, she backed away from him and leaned back against the wall, breaking their eye contact. The rough texture of the jumbled stone was strangely comfortable to her fatigued body.

He continued to stare at her for another moment before looking to the ground. "There's nothing special about me. Why do you have to be so different? My affairs are none of your business and yet… you still bother me."

She shrugged, feeling much lighter for some reason. If she was willing, she could have broken out into a fit of laughs. "Eh, I dunno. I guess that's just how I am. I never really thought about it myself."

She could hear another withering sigh from his direction followed by a mumbled, "…Idiot."

Jill hummed in response, the weight of the day's activities finally catching up to her. As she rested her head on her knees and began to doze off, she thought that, maybe, being stuck in a cave with a mysterious, but frustrating man in the middle of a snowstorm wasn't so bad, after all.

* * *

**And I guess that was their… semi heart-to-heart? I don't know what to call it really. I guess they're starting to understand each other. And no, it's not all 'I love you!' or 'I want to be your strength!' Jill's just a very compassionate – and stubborn – girl while Jamie… well, Jamie is just weird. I guess he's lost his trust in people, so he doesn't really know how to do deal with Jill's strange behavior. He thinks she's crazy. Hehe.**

**Not really satisfied with this chapter overall. I'm hoping to do better next time, though. Till then!**


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